This dance club/bar pulses with a low, guttural thrum of bass-heavy music that drowns out…read moreconversation, forcing patrons to lean in and shout to be heard. Dim, flickering neon lights cast jagged shadows across the crowded room, glinting off sticky glassware and half-finished drinks. This narrow bars air is thick with sweat, spilled beer, and the bite of cheap liquor, churning into a humid haze that clings to skin and clothing. Bodies press together--dancing, swaying, colliding--feeding the bar's restless energy. Bartenders move like frantic cogs behind the bar, shouting orders and slinging bottles with practiced aggression. Every corner hums with disorder and with all that booze they can't even make an old fashioned. But then again I am the kind of person who treats dance clubs like an over-caffeinated blender, would rather be nursing a good drink somewhere my shoes don't stick to the floor and conversation doesn't require a megaphone. Cheers!

So much fun at Zenith last night. This place used to be Coglin's and I was disappointed when it…read moreclosed. Glad to see a similar establishment opening here. Reminds me of the bars/clubs we frequented in the 90s -- dark with great music and drinks heavy on the liquor. Bartender was friendly and I enjoyed my Blue's Clues and Monster Mash. They were a little sweet but equally strong. They had an impressive beer list as well. I just wish the place was a little bigger with more seating but maybe they're just trying to get everybody on the dance floor! Look forward to going back.

I don't know about the top restaurant area because I never tried the food. However, they were…read morewelcoming with a great jazz band. The downstairs is unfair and crosses out your name on karaoke. They also ban when you give them a bad review based on stated facts and pictures. I guess they didn't want to hear local fun and talent. Upstairs is great with a wonderful dj area. No complaints.

Amazing dive bar that's very queer friendly, the bartender was so kind, and loved the theme and…read moreatmosphere of the bar. You can also grab food upstairs.

I really enjoyed the saturday night at this club. I can not speak or even understand spanish at…read moreall but still i enjoyed their music. I think one don't have to know language to listen music. Music itself a universal language. Very nice ambience. since its a spanish club so its certainly true to find hispanic crowd. I had a feeling soon i entered into club cuz you should not come alone ..:P I've tried to interact with some people but didn't work out...;) . drinks are a little bit expensive compare to other clubs.

Since I have been in North Carolina I have only stepped into one nightclub prior to this one and I…read moremust say I was skeptical. Only because I am used to an overindulgence in party scenes. I met with the owner upon a business proposal to work with the nightclub in promotions for my day job. He was very nice and inviting on the ideas we had for him, in which he accepted. (Woo!) Because I am hispanic and this is a spanish club I felt comfortable in the scene and was excited to see what this place was about. It is quite big for what I expected from the outside and it got filled rather quickly after a certain time which impressed me considering how big it was. What didn't play in favor is you had to either carry cash or go to the ATM while your drink began to water down. (should've ordered my whiskey neat) The place is going to have small changes which will probably give them a little more rank. They have big performances and the radio stations broadcasting which gains a few brownie points for me. Easy going place with intentions of a good time. They play a little bit of everything but mostly mexican bachata?

Very nice club/ large and good drinks. Had a good time with friends. Club is a bit overcrowded…read moreand filled with straight girls though

Usually great but as of late the staff have been unnecessarily rude and the music has been subpar.read more

A fun place! The painkiller was probably my favorite drink :)…read moreThey shot confetti a few times on the dance floor which was super fun. The bathroom got pretty gross the later into the night we went. The staff was super friendly and caring when talking to me. I didn't get any of the food if there was any, definitely hit up Raleigh beer garden before for some tasty eats :)

I had an okay night at The Alchemy, but an experience with a bartender around 1 AM (10-24-26) last…read morenight/early this morning completely soured the end of my night. The bartender was wearing a baseball cap, and unfortunately, I wish I had gotten his name. Before ordering, I specifically asked how much a shot of Jack Daniel's whiskey cost, and he told me $11. I initially ordered three shots for myself, my high school friend, and my Godbrother for his birthday. My Godbrother ended up paying for those shots with his card, but he then gave the drinks to our Godsisters instead of us. Because of that, I ordered two more shots of Jack Daniel's for myself and my friend. At $11 per shot, I expected the total to be around $22 plus tax. However, the bartender tried to charge me $44, claiming the previous tab hadn't been paid. I explained that my Godbrother had already paid for the original three shots and that I was only paying for the two additional shots I had ordered after my Godbrother gave the shots away AND PAID FOR THEM. We went back and forth about the charges until my Godsister stepped in to help resolve the situation. What confused me even more was that she said she only paid $6. I genuinely don't understand how the amount went from $44 to $6, and the whole situation left me questioning what I was actually being charged for. I know people who work in the bar industry, so I'm familiar with how tabs and drink charges work. I'm not accusing anyone of anything I can't prove, but the lack of clarity surrounding the charges was frustrating and made the experience feel dishonest. Please pay attention to your tab, double-check your charges, ASK HOW MUCH YOUR DRINK OR SHOT IS BEFORE ORDERING, and ask questions if something doesn't add up. One other thing to note: apparently, there's a dress code restriction against ripped jeans for men. I think that's a silly rule for a freaking nightclub, but be aware of it if you're planning to visit. Overall, I had an okay time, but the billing situation really ruined the night for me, and I was ready to leave afterward. The Alchemy, please do better when it comes to transparent billing and customer service.

1st things 1st, if you're not "accepting" of other people's choices, don't bother coming here. you…read moresee all types of wonderful people here. bar staff is super friendly and fellow drinkers are too. it's one of those hole in the wall type of places that make you feel welcome. drinks are super cheap and will knock you off your ass after having a few great place, great people, great drinks. highly recommend.

Step into a dimly lit labyrinth where the walls seem to swallow your secrets and every corner…read morewhispers mood and mystery. This bar is a glorious mess, the music pulses with an offbeat energy while a bartender is running a bar where the mixers seem to have gone on vacation. Better hope you're in the mood for whiskey neat or tequila straight up--because anything else is clearly an improvisation! It's a place where no one cares if the floors are sticky or the décor is a little less. It's chaos, it's charm, it's definitely unapologetic--a refuge for anyone who wants to drink, dance, and just be in the glorious mess of it all. The regulars are more like a family here, they have claimed their seats and built a strong camaraderie. Cheers!

Fubar is either your cup of tea, or more appropriately, your shot of tequila, or not…read more The club is owner Larry Carter's newest version of the space that used to be Club Oxygen, and most recently, Sin City/LC's. While Sin City fluctuated between being a rocker bar and a hip-hop club, Fubar is more reminiscent of what Club Oxygen used to be, a hard-partying bar for the young crowd. Swings line the bar, the bartenders will periodically douse the crowd with a fire extinguisher and it is the only place in Raleigh that has a permanent foam machine. Epileptics, beware; Fubar has an old barber chair that is converted to a shot chair, and you will find folks up there getting a shot and being spun around, all while strobe lights flash around them. Fubar's busiest night seems to be the Thursday evening college night. I was also in there for a Saturday evening and the place was filled with foam-soaked partiers (Which was fun to watch as it was a chilly evening, and the scantily-clad girls would all huddle outside, shivering as they talked on their cell phones ) If you are celebrating a 21st birthday, this is the place to go -- not so much if you are celebrating your 31st. And if it is, you may want to take a good, long look at where your life is headed :)

FUBAR - (adj.) acronym; F*cked up beyond all recognition; see also…read morehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FUBAR Sitting all the way back at the end of W Davie St and so out of sight, it is surprising that FuBAR can amass a crowd that size weekend after weekend, which I think contributed by the facts: Low-key atmosphere - the cover is usually $5 and ladies in free on weekend sometimes. It is a dance club, and not trying to be posh and high class. FuBar keeps a dress code, albeit lenient; No need for mens dress shoes or Sunday Best **COUGHMIRAGECOUGH** or anything that arrogant, just don't look like you are wearing your colors to represent your gang, or in your hoochie mama outfit. Swings - ah yes, the swings, hanging off that high ceilings and just the right height if you want to sit at the bar for a bit. The only thing is that, you can really "swing" it since it is installed so close to the bar, you are either going to bump your knees or your back. "Shot chair" - the infamous shot chair. It is indeed an old barber shop chair. After the cocktail girl pumps your mouth full of your pick of poison, she spins you round and around in that chair, with added effect of strobe lights atop. Do it at your own risk, however, because the chair is set on a 3 feet tall stage, and after the shots and the spins, you just might not find the way down gracefully. Dance floor - usually packed, which is good/bad depends on your preference. Music is pretty pumping and dubbing and raving (or whatever you young'uns like to call it nowadays); and when the action gets too "hot" they have a little red button that extinguish some of the heat. Besides all that, the frequent radio ad spots, combining with a brief association with G105's Club105, FuBar attracts a really good crowd, and a relatively younger/college crowd.

Nice atmosphere, drinks are priced well and not too bad for being downtown Raleigh. Always enjoy…read morethe music, the staff are friendly as well. I love that the front of the building is completely open to let in the fresh air. Stop in and check it out! Just a quick edit to note that we have been here several times, and it's always a pleasant experience. When my sister in law and brother in law come into town we always go here as it's turned into one of their favorites. It does get extremely busy on the weekend when all the college kids are out and it becomes a tight squeeze, so just keep that in mind when you are out and about.

I must admit Capital City Tavern is doing some things right! As far a ascetics and storefront…read moreappeal, they knocked it out of the park. They took over the old Isaac Hunters and completely transformed the space. With plenty of tables outside to accommodate guests as well as a beautiful brickwork lining the walls, private tables, mood lighting and old black and white photos of Raleigh posted around the bar. That, my friends, is the good. Capital is a new bar so there's a lot of things that just don't quite flow yet. While the atmosphere seems classy they also turn the space into a dance club when the evening gets late--DJ included! The space didn't really seem to merit the dance club feel. In addition, while the bar is huge (literally huge. It's practically two separate bars with all the same liquors and beers side by side--I think the owners are trying to make sure the excuse "I couldn't make it to the bar" is never uttered at Capital!)--however with all new bars, the bartenders are a major part of making customers feel welcome and comfortable. It's obvious the bartenders are new to the space and possibly some might even be brand new bartenders, I only say this because of recommendations that were made, or were lacking for some. They also did not have any type of beer/cocktail menu yet or prices listed (this was two weeks after opening night in the beginning of July). Another unfortunate incident was finding someone's dinner in the corner of the bathroom, I don't think we were there late enough for it to be from that evening and the place wasn't very crowded. Either way, that's never a pleasant situation to run into (literally). I'd be happy to give Capital another chance in a couple months once they've ironed out all the kinks.

Came for Thursday Line-dance Bootcamp and had a fantastic time! Our instructor Logan was great and…read moreeveryone had so much fun!! Would totally recommend!

This was such a fun bar! I love that they had a free mechanical bull, and they played great music…read more Overall, fantastic music, cheap drinks, and great ambience. Would highly recommend coming here!

This little gem is one of my favorite places to just chill and have a drink…read more Don't have to worry about pricey drinks, just a chill vibe

A fun little spot perfect for a girls night out!! They had affordable options and specialty…read morecocktails that were great, but what really stood out to us was the vibe - old photos and posters on the walls, disco balls, and friendly patrons and staff!! It's small, but was perfect for a few friends looking to catch up on a Friday night. I'm sure we will be returning :)